Hold My Hand
by McWizardX
Summary: Ash/Misty/Brock discover a wonderful school and sample the student life. Later, Misty starts to discover her feelings for Ash during one night, Ash as well starts to discover his own feelings. Romantic/Drama. This fic is written in first person, altern
1. Default Chapter

Hold my hand

By:  McWizardX

Chapter 1

Misty: POV

     Winter had faded into a nice warm spring day.  There was nothing but blue sky, a small dirt path, and the association of my friends.  I carried my egg pokemon with me where ever I go, taking care of it as if it was my own child.  You probably know who I am.  To my friend Ash, I'm called Carrot Head, to my older friend Brock I am referred to as Loud Mouth, but to myself I'm just plain and simple Misty.  It was during that same day that the three of us encountered this fancy school that recently opened.  The school was called PKMN Society, which is a weird title for a school, sounded like something from an amateur writer's fanfic found on the net.  The school, PKMN Society, situated in an open area away from the city and mountain, it certainly seemed like a nice school but would've been a problem to commute all the way out there.  I thought by going there I could learn something new but I've discovered something else while being there.

     Ash wanted to go and check out the school, even though he had occasionally said he hated school.  Brock too didn't want to be in school but he soon changed his mind when he saw the women there.  I never had any problems with school in the past; I always thought they were fun.  Together, the three of us got a free tour and, well, were pretty much impressed by the whole sales pitch that we enrolled for a sampler semester.  A sampler semester was for those who wanted to try out the education at PKMN Society before enrolling as a full time student.  Problem about the sampler semester is we had to work as a trainee to the faculty to pay for our tuition, room, meals, and other expenses.  It wasn't so bad considering you were offered a choice of work you wanted

     I never thought in my whole life of traveling in this trio that school would be something we be attending, I always thought we'd travel to the ends of the Earth and back.  Another thing I didn't expect was to wear a uniform while attending school, it's been years since I wore a skirt.  When Brock and Ash saw me they both had interesting reactions.  Brock asked if all girls had to wear that type of skirt.  I looked down and notice it was unusually short, but how would I know, I haven't worn these in years.  Brock immediately ran around campus looking at all the girls, he evened climbed the roof and equipped long ranged binoculars to see as many girls as he could.  Ash had a worst reaction, all because it was directed at me.  He couldn't stop laughing at first, which really ticked me off.  Then he had the nerve to ask what color underwear I was wearing.  I slammed him down with a mallet that it left a crater; fortunately the ground was easily fixed.

     The first day of class I showed promise and from there on I showed my pure potential as a good student.  In my class I was known as the smartest student, however, Ash was also in my class.  Needless to say, he irritated me during class time.  How does he irritate me?  Well, other than the spitballs, the tapping, and the gum chewing, he managed to still make a fairly good grade on assignments.  That's what irritates me!  I actually study, pay attention in class, and manage my time so I can review and study all my assignments but Ash goofs off the whole time and sleeps during class and still manage to get a decent grade!  It's not fair I tell you, not fair at all!

     Well days go by and I still remain on top in class.  I heard Brock managed to do very well in Home Economics, that and he's become a teacher's pet to Ms. Kanko, one of the more um figured teachers here in the school.  The three of us signed up for extracurricular activities, I joined the swim team, Ash joined the soccer team, and Brock became a Nurse helper.  Why Brock wanted to become a Nurse helper?  Cause the Nurse, Ms. Keiru is also one of the more figured members of the faculty.  Our jobs for the school were pretty much the same; we worked together at the lab feeding the pokemon there.  The professors that worked at the lab were very nice, they even let us handle the pokemon there, and I especially liked the water type.  Student life is nice, but I think it can be better if Ash wasn't such a brat.  That boy, I swear he drives me crazy.

     So what is a usual day for me?  Class starts at approximately eight in the morning so I normally get up around six thirty.  I take a bath, groom myself, make breakfast to eat, and a lunch box meal for later, and then head to class early to study for about fifteen minutes before class start.  I normally eat lunch in the classroom so I don't waste time walking all around when I could be studying for the next assignment.  Once class is over around two in the afternoon I report immediately to the gym to the swim team for an hour and a half of swimming and working out.  Then after I walk to the lab for my job and there I get to see how Brock is doing since I don't see him anywhere else other than the lab.  Ash however is almost everywhere I go except the pool, that's when I can get away from him for a moment.  In the evening once I'm done with work I head back to my room to have a quiet dinner to some nice easy music and study till ten in the evening then I get ready for bed.  I sleep around eleven at night.  Sounds like a typical student schedule doesn't it?  I'm serious in my studies but my neighbor isn't serious at all.  Gosh why does Ash's room have to be next to mine!?  I can always hear him laughing his butt off watching TV and goofing off.  I remember he invited some friends over to watch a movie and all they ever did was make noise, ugh what a nightmare.

     Ash in my class has its ups and downs.  For one thing I at least have someone I know in my class, but its just Ash.  He is useful sometimes and he does make the class livelier with his antics, which keeps everyone awake and the teacher on her toes.  The annoying things about Ash is, well, for someone who doesn't take his studies seriously, he gets good grades!  I'm serious, he may not look it but he gets good grades on his assignments, tests, and exams.  I have to study from morning, noon, and night, to get the top grades right now but he never once studied and yet his just a few marks lower than I am.  Its mind boggling and also just plain silly how he can do that, he's younger than me, I should know more stuff.

     It was around mid term time when Ash got me the most annoyed.  I was sorting out my notes having it ready for binding.  As I sorted them out he came by to me and asked me what I was doing.  I told him I was just sorting out my notes so I knew what pages I would need to answer some of the essay questions for the mid term.  He picked up some of my notes and started to read them, next he mentioned that I wrote something in wrong.  Out of habit I didn't listen, I just snatched the paper away and just sorted it with the others.  He then picked up another and read it.  Then the most stupid Ash moment happened, he sneezed.  He sneezed on my perfect notes, damping it with his Ash germs all over then handed it back to me.  Gross, I had to just throw it away; I don't want his germs all over me or my other notes.  Later when we were given the first essay question, I just realized that it was THAT piece of note that I needed to properly answer the essay question.  This later resulted in a less than perfect grade.  How less perfect?  Ash got a higher grade than me.  He rubbed it in so much that I slammed him with my books.

     Something happened after midterms.  I was so busy from studying that when it was all over I felt tired.  The adrenaline rush from trying to get good grades, do well, and ofcourse show up Ash had gone after midterms.  I was left with nothing to do other than just my normal assignments, swimming, and work yet I felt tired.  It was about a week after midterms had ended when the pool had to go under maintenance; something to do with the water pumps, anyway this gave me some extra time to study.  I study a lot, not that I'm a nerd but I like getting good grades, which was just the way I always have been.  I was in the library just reading up on some facts on what we'll be going over in class when fatigue had started to rear its ugly head.  Little did I know I started to doze off and I fell asleep in the library.  I was all the way at the end so no one saw me taking a nap, well, that's what I thought.  I woke up slowly, realizing I had accidentally fallen a sleep.  I looked up to see a dark silhouette of someone next to me, looking right at me.  The window displayed a nice starry sky; I had slept for that long.  When my eyes focused I saw the eyes of the person next to me, watching over me as I had slept.  He had these beautiful brown eyes, I fell in love with them the moment I saw them.  Then he said to me, "Are you okay?  You slept for a long time."  Then I thought for a moment, maybe I was still dreaming?  But no, it wasn't a dream.  The closer I looked the more I saw and tried to disbelieve the truth.  Ash had watched over me the whole time I was asleep, not only that, I think I saw a beautiful charming side of Ash that I have never seen before.  My heart pounded anxiously, was I falling in love?

*****

Ash: POV

     Why am I in school?   I don't know, I forget.  Well since I'm here I might as well make the best of it and also have fun as well.  Sure I don't take my studies seriously unlike other people but I think I can survive the curriculum.  So far in the pass few weeks I've managed to get by with pretty high scores.  I don't think I'm that lucky so I must be smart, though there are some people who will disagree on that.  While in school I also play soccer, one of my all time favorite sports.  There's nothing like running around and kicking a ball into a net, I highly recommend it.  I'm quiet fast too, those years running from danger and Team Rocket has paid off.  Nearing the evening I work at a pokemon lab, where I wear this white coat and goofy glasses.  I attend to mostly the water types since so many of the other pokemon can fend for themselves.  Misty had become terribly mean to me whenever I try to feed the water pokemon, she said it was her responsibility not mine.  I can't understand her sometimes; she acts like she hates me ever since we enrolled.  I know she doesn't hate me but I can't but feel she is irritated by me.  Sure I do tease her and such but we're friends, that's what we always do.  In fact I've been teasing her since the first day we met.   These past few days my teasing isn't being viewed in the same light as before but something more serious, so that is why I try to refrain from being too mischievous towards her.

     It was after midterms that I had noticed something about Misty.  At first I noticed that she has been more tired lately.  Normally I'd think someone would be tired during midterms, not after them.  I didn't worry too much because Misty is a strong girl, she can take care of her self.  One afternoon I decided to ditch soccer because I hadn't finish my assignments for class, so I needed the extra time.  I headed to the library to do my homework, hoping not to be distracted.  I'm easily distracted so I had to discipline myself by working at the back of the library in total isolation, or I thought.  In the back I saw a sleeping Misty laying her head on her folded arms on the desk.  I approached her and saw how angelic she looks while she sleeps.  I've seen her sleep before, many times in fact, and I've always thought she looked so peaceful.  I set off to do my homework sitting next to her.  When I finished she was still asleep and it was nearly time to get to work.  I was about to go when I decided I wouldn't.  Looking back at her, she looked so cute and peaceful; I thought I'd wait till she woke up.  Having slept for so long I got worried a bit, she normally isn't the type to be sleeping all afternoon.

     I had waited for another two hours just watching over her, being next to her the whole time.  She woke up looking right at me.  The glow of the moon reflected the sparkle in her eyes; she looked beautiful.  I asked her if she was feeling alright but she just looked at me, staring right at me for a long while.  I didn't say anymore, I just stared right back at her.  Her beautiful green blue eyes, they shined so nicely in the glow of the moonlight.

     The following days felt different from all the others.  I resumed my regular duties as a student but Misty acted different.  I had teased her a few times but she didn't hit me or chase me around like she normally would but she just looked at me with an emotionless stare.  I thought of what she was doing, perhaps a mind game she was playing with me, to get me to stop teasing her as a whole.  At first it worked, I didn't do anything to her, but I came to a conclusion that she just wanted to mess with me.  Two could easily play her mind game; I decided to change my image to a more upstanding student rather than my current happy go lucky style.  It took a lot of effort but I managed to perform as an ideal model student by commenting whenever I can, doing all my homework, and getting perfect scores on tests.  I carefully watched Misty's reaction towards me; I knew she couldn't stand losing to me in any way.  I was so sure that I had outsmarted her in this game but I was wrong, dead wrong.  I had out scored her a few times and all she could say to me was, good job.  Where was my competitive edge?  Where were the insults directed at me?  Where was the mallet or whatever object used to hit me over the head?

     I continued the act a little longer; sooner or later she would crack like an egg.  Being polite, a gentleman, and respecting her, I did all this for her and she returned all the good for good.  One day after class Misty was assigned to take care of class clean up but she had a swim team meeting so she asked mister reliable, which is me, to clean up for her.  I accepted but what happened next had placed me in "check" in this mental chess game of ours.  As I got up from my chair to clean the erasers she had grabbed a hold of me, faced me towards her, then kissed me on my cheek then ran off waving good-bye to me.  I stood there staring in the direction she had gone off in.  I didn't move for a few minutes then I touched the cheek, the area where she kissed me.  Was this real or just a game?  I felt confused; things didn't make any sense anymore.  How did this all started?  I don't know and how would I know?  All I can gather at the time was Misty had stopped acting like herself and to counter her, I stopped acting like myself, and the result, I was kissed.  But like I mentioned before, was this a real kiss or just a game kiss to place me in an awkward situation so I may lose my cool?  One thing I was certain was my feelings, I felt excited by the thought that she did such a thing.  For the very first time, I felt excited when thinking about Misty.

     I have to admit, Misty is a pretty girl.  I've known this long ago when we first started traveling.  I teased her all the time because she seemed like the type that would be fun to tease.  I always looked in her direction at times to admire her beauty, though we were all young at the time.  With her hair down she looked older, with her hair up like it always has been a cute girl.  As good looking as she was, I didn't have any feelings for her yet, only as a friend.  I'd get jealous of others trying to claim her for themselves but I wasn't sure how I felt yet, not quiet yet.  The days that I had treated her nicely, like a perfect gentleman, I've started to feel differently towards her, I'm starting feel very attached to her.  Maybe if I continued to be this way, she'll remain that way as well.

*****

Misty:  POV

     The Ash I knew had been replace by this new responsible Ash.  Had school changed Ash for the better?  I wouldn't know but all I know is Ash is different.  I noticed this during that one evening when I overslept in the library and I saw him as a beautiful person from lighting of the moon.  Since then Ash had slowly changed into someone else, someone who acted very mature and gentle towards me.  He doesn't bother me like he use to, he's now helping me.  I see Ash differently now; my heart thumps harder just the thought of him.  Yes I was falling in love.  Was I in love before?  I don't think I was, but I did have a crush on Ash but I didn't love him, not till recently.  Why the sudden change I wonder?  Why did he become so nice?  Was it for me?  For whatever reason, I admire this version of Ash.  I admired him so much that when he said he'd clean up the classroom for me, I kissed him out of want.  I didn't plan on kissing him nor did I have any intention to, but I just did.  It was the very first time I had ever kissed a boy before, my heart throbs from the very thought.     

     It seems that days pass by very slowly now, maybe it's because there's a lot on my mind.  I can't help but wonder if Ash has any feelings for me.  I sit two rows behind and a column to the right of Ash.  I can slightly see him, but not really well.  At times I'd just stare of daydreaming about him, what I'd like him to be to me.  Some dreams become a bit exaggerated at times, I once saw myself in a kitchen cooking dinner and Ash coming home from work.  I'd greet him he'd smell what I was cooking, complement the good smell, and then head into the kitchen to see what I was cooking.  It was your typical textbook housewife scenario; I was the wife and Ash the husband.  I had already married him in my imagination.

     Maybe I was blessed by coming to this school, I had always dreamed of a more handsome polite Ash for me to love.  I would have loved him long ago if he weren't such a brat.  I tried, I tried so hard to confess that I liked him but he wouldn't get a clue.  He was so dense it was frustrating.  I had already spelt out that I liked him and he still doesn't get it.  In fact, I was even so bold to say we would get married one day and all he could say was "wa" in my face.  I gave up on the topic after a while and in time I thought I could just live life this way until we were older, when he became more mature to understand how I feel.  Now at days, I feel really strange that the day when Ash had finally decided to grow up was actually here.  I thought it would be a gradual change, not something that would happen within days.  However, in a way I miss the rude obnoxious Ash that I had grown up with.  He could always make me laugh, easing me up to my many emotions.  I loved him for that as well, for his carefree spirit.  I guess I just really love him no matter if he's polite to me or rude to me.  That's just the way I feel about him.

     How should I tell him how I feel?  I want him to know.  He could have already learned of my feelings but I want to make sure.  Ash maybe polite and gentle even smarter than before but I can't just assume he knows, I have to make sure he knows.  I've read this out of a manga, write a love letter and put it in the locker of the one you love, so I attempted this.  I wrote like around fifty love letters till I finally got the perfect one.  After sealing it and getting it ready I stood up ready to leave my room when I realized the flaw to this plan, there were no lockers in this school.  The dorms are in walking range of each class that students could just drop off their things in their rooms.  I could always just slip it under his door, till I realized the envelope wouldn't fit under.  I tried with my own door, didn't work.  I didn't want to just leave it on his door step, what if someone else got a hold of it, that would be so embarrassing I thought to myself.  The whole school could end up laughing at Ash and me, poor Ash would be humiliated along with me.  I held onto the letter for now, maybe I could just give it to him face to face.  Time was being wasted, so I went ahead to devise another plan.

         I couldn't think, I was not bold enough to do any other than the love letter.  I've always been with Ash but this was the absolute first time I had ever felt nervous to confront him.  I felt scared of what his reaction would be.  Was he going to laugh at me, reject me, or maybe accept me, say he also felt the same way?  Was I going to gamble?  Risk my precious glass heart?  I don't know, I really don't know.  This type of stress had me grabbing my hair in frustration, what am I to do?  Was Ash the same way?  Could he also be going nuts with romantic anxieties?  The answer to that particular question is no, I heard him laughing at the TV when I was panicking.  Hearing him laugh made it worst for me, now I know this could just be a one sided relationship.  Then I've come to a decision, if I'm going to risk my heart, it will be to Ash.  He will be my first.

To be continued . . .

*  PKMN Society first appeared in Dreamer, in this fic its used differently


	2. Hold My Hand Part 2

Ash:  POV

     When I get to my room I feel that I can relax and not be the perfect student that I'm portraying.  It's hard to be so perfect; I have to worry about making mistakes and such.  The only time I can be not perfect is when I'm in my room relaxing in front of the TV watching comedy TV shows.  I laugh a lot when I watch these shows, its just so humorous watching sitcoms.  Each show tries to mimic every day life but with odd situations.  One of my favorite ones to watch is about a guy who is being pursued by a girl who likes him a lot, but the girl always makes mistakes and she can never tell him how she feels so they remain friends.  I watch this show every night.  I never miss a single episode in fear that one day I may just see the scene I've been waiting for so long.  I hope to see the girl confess to the guy and both live happily ever after.

     I have started to study a bit more, not a whole lot but just a small bit.  I need to keep my grades high or my perfect student model would instantly dissolve.  I don't really mind the studying, it's not as hard as I thought it would be but it can be very boring at times.  I keep hearing music in my head when it's too quiet.  It was the annoying type of music, like background music of some anime.  Those trumpets, an upbeat tune, and Japanese singing, it would drive me nuts!  Turn off the music!  I would hold my head and shut my ears but I'd still hear the music of SOS from Pinkladies' playing.  Anyway, aside from that disturbing fact I actually do learn a few things from what I study.  I do feel smarter now then I have before, I have a lot more self confidence in my knowledge of various things but there was one bit of information I would like to know more.  How to read a woman's mind?

     Day by day Misty admires this "play" that I put on of being a model student.  I can tell, she has been looking at me constantly when I participate in class discussions and do well on assignments.  I'm not sure if she's still playing around with me, trying to mess with me mentally but I was getting tired of it.  It was fun at first but I just don't want to be left guessing.  I thought she'd end this game sooner but no she kept this going to the point I wonder if it even is a game.  I wanted to stop this but I wondered how would I go about doing so.  Being as perfect as I tried to be is stressful.  I don't mind my studies or the extra effort I have to put in but thinking that this is all just a game and not because I wanted to do it for myself made my stomach turn.  I was becoming nothing more than just a transparent person.  I wasn't myself and I wanted to be myself.  No more!  I will end it after work by just asking her of her feelings towards me.  Its embarrassing and downright nerve racking but what choice do I have.  I will do it, so help me I will.

*****

Misty: POV

     I sensed a strange aura from Ash one particular day.  He was still the same but I felt like the world was just going to end soon and it was because of him.  Class had begun starting off with the results of the recent quiz we had the other day.  Ash had scored perfect and I scored two answers from a perfect.  I still feel somewhat irritated that Ash had done better than me but I still felt proud of him.  He had begun to be more responsible so I respected his score, this time he looked like he deserved it.  Ash kept looking back at me with this emotionless expression.  This was normal but I felt frightened by his stare, was the world really going to end because of him?

     The day had gone by slowly, I couldn't concentrate on anything else other than Ash.  At swimming I had swum right into the wall a few times since I wasn't focused.  All the other girls just looked at me strangely, for a top swimmer I started to swim very poorly.  After a few mishaps I took a break and sat down on the bench with a towel over my head.  The other girls in the swim team continued on their routine exercise but one of them approached me.  Her name is Lina, when I first joined the swim team she introduced me to everyone.  She's a really good person and very cute.  She was one of the few I could actually call a "friend."  Lina asked me what was bugging me, so I told her.  She listened to the whole story from beginning to now, when I finished she thought about what I told her for a moment then she said to me, "don't be afraid, and do what you feel like doing."  Her advice wasn't a whole lot when I first heard it but as I thought about it, it was so simple it had to be correct.  I will be brave enough, I did promise myself Ash will be my first to either give me love or break me.

     Another thing that Lina brought up to help me take my mind off my emotional distress is the up and coming school festival.  The Campus Master held a festival every year to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the school.  Students would then audition to be part of the Festival Committee to decide what will be featured in this year's festival.  Lina mentioned even though I'm just a sampler student, I could join the committee if I'm in good standings with the school.  Later I was nominated by Lina to be part of the committee, I humbly accepted the nomination.  With the experience I had before, former Princess Day champion, as well as all the other things I've done on my travels, and my good grades, I was viewed to be in good standing and became part of my committee.  Now here's the odd thing, what got me over was my experience but guess who had similar experiences and could also say he was an Orange League Champion.  You guessed it, Ash.  He was nominated by a student named Kurai to be on the committee and was accepted quickly.  Guess Ash and me are in this together.

     I mentioned that I felt the world was going to end right?  It was later that evening after work when Ash and me were walking back to our rooms. Brock stayed overtime to do some extra studying so it was just the two of us together, alone.  It was such an odd feeling; I've never felt this way before walking with Ash in the empty hallways of the school.  As I walked my heart raced so quickly that I felt scared and jumpy, when Ash called out my name I was so startled that I jumped up.  He'd wonder what was I being so scared of but I just said that there are bugs running around and he immediately understood, though it was a lie.  As we approached our rooms he stopped abruptly which also made me stop.  He turned towards me then asked a question that had my world feeling like it was going to just blow up.  He asked, "Misty, do you like me?"

*****

Ash:  POV

     After work I walked back to my room accompanied by Misty.  I noticed that she let her hair down since having been accepted to work in the committee for the school festival.  She looked so beautiful in the night, with just enough of the night's darkness to give her a mysterious aura.  The sweet scent of her light perfume filled me with intoxicating delight.  I was getting drunk over her scent so much as that I asked her something without even thinking.  I asked her, "Misty, do you like me?"  I haven't realized what I just asked her till she started to hurry off to her room.  The only thing she said to me was, "I'm sorry but . . ." then she left.  Was it wrong for me to ask her?  Maybe, I don't know, I wasn't thinking straight.  At first I felt grieved over her answer, was that a no I pondered.  Logically I thought this through, she didn't give me a yes or no, and no clue to what "I'm sorry" is, so it probably just means she's indecisive right now.  I could be wrong.

     I went to my room and just lay in bed staring at the ceiling.  I thought to myself, if Misty did say yes, would that be because I've been living a lie and she only liked me when I became perfect?  Or maybe she really does like me since long before?  Or is she just toying with my feelings?  Several other questions came up but these were the top three.  Then I thought about myself.  Who was I?  The perfect self that I had become, was it just an illusion that I created, not the real me or was it part of me?  I have been getting good grades before I created my perfect self, so maybe I was already gifted to be smart but just needed to be more serious about it?  Before Misty had called me various things that question my intelligence, things like Dumb Ash, which sounds more like she was cussing at me.  This school, maybe it brought out my smart side that I've always had.

     The committee meeting was tomorrow during class; all students who are on the committee are excused.  This would give Misty and me some time together as we walk to the meeting room on the other building.  This is where I know if she likes me or not.  I do hope she doesn't just pretend to not have heard what I asked, cause that would mean we'd be nothing more than just friends.

*****

Misty:  POV

     Frustration, confusion, nervousness, and embarrassment, times that about a zillion and you got what I felt when I was walking together with Ash to the meeting room.  It was a two-minute walk there, the longest two minutes of my life.  I tried to play it cool without giving a hint of what I truly am experiencing.  By pretending that what happened in the pervious night never happened, maybe I can convince Ash it never really happened too.  But what if he brought it up I wondered?  Well, its just two minutes, hardly unlikely.

     When we got to the meeting room the other students that were on the committee patiently waited at their seats.  Talk about a bunch of bookworms, these students had studiousness written all over their faces.  I wouldn't call them geeky nerds but rather a cool looking smart people.  I felt so left out; I didn't appear to be that smart.  I didn't even have glasses where as everyone else did.  I sat down quietly just waiting for something to happen and something did, Ash happened.  Ash smiled at everyone and said loudly, "Howdy, I'm Ash."  The others didn't know what to make of it but they all introduced themselves to Ash.  Ash made such a big deal with everyone's names.  He laughed and loosened everyone up till everyone started to chat with one another.  Ash, what a guy, he sure knows how to have fun anywhere.  He even loosened me up too with his playful antics.  When the meeting started, I felt so relaxed that I was able to think clearly, thank you Ash.

     Ash had sat next to me during the meeting, seeing that we were in the same class and all.  When the school director went over some ideas and previous school festivals I let my mind wander to the previous night.  I ran away from Ash's question, I didn't tell him a straight answer.  But I promised myself that whatever happens, happens, Ash will be my first love or heartbreak.  How would I express myself?  At the time I was at my most relaxed so it was the ideal time to do something, but what, we were in a meeting.  Then I saw Ash's hand dangling of to his side.  There it was, the answer.  If I held his hand maybe he'll understand this is my reply to his question.  Yes this was the only chance I got!  So I swallowed a lump in my throat and carefully reached for his hand.  Then I felt his warm hand and held it.  I held his hand.

*****

Ash:  POV

     I listened carefully as the school director went over what students had done in previous years, some did plays, others held a giant concert, and another decided a campus store day.  All of them sounded good but I wanted something original, something that no one has ever done before.  Hearing through the list I felt something warm touch my hand.  A warm soft feeling, like a hand on my hand.  I looked, it was Misty's hand holding on to my own.  Did this mean what I think it means?  Did I spend half the night worrying over night and that Misty actually likes me?  If she truly likes me, she'll like me for who I am, perfect or not.  I replied to her by closing my hand with hers, holding her hand warmly and gently.  This was the truth that I seek she really does like me.  Even if I was a perfect student or just my normal self, she gave me this reassurance that she likes me either way.  I turned red from blushing, I looked at her it was the same thing.  This is was the best way for her to answer me.  I just wanted her to hold my hand . . . forever.

*****

Epilogue  
  
Brock:  POV

     I enjoyed the festival plan that Ash had coordinated.  It was his idea that the committee agreed upon, a fancy dance.  It was Misty who then came up with a better name for it, a Grand Ball.  The entire campus became like a castle and everyone dressed up in the finest clothes that the school had to offer with some minor tailoring from yours truly.  The budget was increased since it was such a great idea; the head guy himself liked the idea of celebrating the anniversary of the school like royalty would.  I tailored together something special for Ash and Misty; since it was their idea they were also granted to be the so-called King and Queen of the Ball.  As one of the school's top tailors, I had many requests and most of them were from the oh so lovely girls of the school.  I had to measure them and fit them with all sorts of dresses; I was in heaven.  Where else could I have several girls calling out my name, wanting me?  Anyway my finest clothing design was ofcourse Ash and Misty's, I owe it all to them.

     The Ball was a complete success.  Everyone came to me and asked how'd they look and a lot of the girls wanted to dance with the guy who made them look so good.  As far as Ash and Misty, I think their new found relationship will be a solid one.  They had the honor to have the first dance together; I've never seen a more beautiful couple.  They held each other so nicely and danced as if they were on air.  After their dance, they went to their seats on the honored area where they continued to hold each other's hand.  I've never seen such a romantic couple, makes me feel jealous.  Well, that's all I know and what I've seen.  I was kinda distracted with all the other girls but all I know is they were made for each other.  The way they held each other's hands, and by the way they kiss too, its true love.

*  The follow characters originated in the fanfic, Dreamer and appeared only as a cameo in this fic:  Lina, Kurai, School Master (City Master)


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